Mom gives son iPhone for Christmas, and list of rules

A mom gave her son a new iPhone 4 for Christmas, but that wasn't all that was sitting under the tree.

Instead, 13-year-old Gregory Hoffman was also given a letter two days later listing 18 rules he had to follow in order to keep the contract. Breaking the rules "will result in termination of your iPhone ownership," according to the letter written by his mother, Janell.

Some are simple, like rule #2: "I will always know the password." Others are a bit more severe, like rule #7: "Do not use this technology to lie, fool, or deceive another human being. Do not involve yourself in conversations that are hurtful to others. Be a good friend first or stay the hell out of the crossfire."

The Massachusetts mother shared the letter on her blog, sparking an online debate over where the responsibilities for parents and children lie when it comes to technology. She and her son have since been featured on national and cable networks.

Gregory agreed to the rules, though he had some feedback. "Gregory wanted to amend the rule about not bringing the phone to school and asked that he be allowed to take it on days when he is staying late for extracurricular activities or when he goes on a field trip. I agreed," Janell told CapeNews.net.

Let us know what rules you put on your children's electronic use in the comments below.

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